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4 Firebombs Hit Muslim Targets in NYC

Attacks probed as anti-Muslim crimes: police

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 2, 2012 10:26 AM CST

(Newser) – Four homemade firebombs went off in New York last night in what police believe to be anti-Muslim hate crimes. No one was hurt. Three of the Queens attacks used molotov cocktails made using Starbucks bottles; targets included a bodega, two houses, and a major Islamic center, the New York Times reports. One of the houses caught fire; it took 60 firefighters 40 minutes to control the blaze.

The bodega attack may have come from a bomb thrown inside the store, police said. A glass Starbucks bottle was later hurled at the door of the Imam Al-Khoei Foundation Islamic center, which contains one of New York's leading Shiite mosques. The final attack saw a pair of bottles thrown at a house, but the flames didn't last long. The person who alerted authorities said a vehicle had driven by the house as the bottles were launched. The attacks follow a string of arson incidents in Los Angeles.

The NYPD is investigating four firebombing attacks last night in Queens.
The NYPD is investigating four firebombing attacks last night in Queens.   (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 108 comments
jgarbuz
Jan 2, 2012 9:45 PM CST
Whew! Thankfully it wasn't another synagogue or church. I'm relieved.
njgreen
Jan 2, 2012 8:03 PM CST
NYPD will catch these guys.  Probably a bunch of stupid teens.  I can't wait to see how surprised they'll be when they learn about mandatory sentences for hate crimes.  It won't seem so funny to them then.
FromtheNORTH
Jan 2, 2012 5:05 PM CST
Maybe it was Sunni getting after the Shites or the Shites getting after the Sunni Everyone knows how well those brothers get along makes for better journalism when the term "hate crime" is used. it's speculation at this point in time as to who hates Starbucks coffee so much they are willing to involve them in bottle bombs. there was a car in Detriot not long ago, a lawyer and his son was blown up, niether died though don't recall that being called a hate crime. blowning a car with people in it, sure sounds like hate to me We are all Equal in the eyes of the law Except some of us, are alittle more Equal now ohh well,  according to the Mayan Calendar, we only have 358 days left, give or take time to  get on the Xbox360 and play the modern warfare "get some, get some" the clock is ticking

 
New York City • Muslims • hate crime • Queens • mosque • American Muslims • firebombing • Islamic center • Molotov cocktail

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